Todd Warren, vice president of Microsoft's mobile communications product group, is leaving the company this month.

Warren has been at Microsoft for just more than 21 years and recently led development of Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1. For the past few months he's been in a strategy-advisory role while considering his options.

After consulting with mentors such as former Microsoft executives Paul Maritz and Ben Slivka, Warren decided to take some time off and consider his options.

"They all gave the advice that it was best to get a little bit of distance before deciding what to do next,'' he said.

Warren came directly to Microsoft from Northwestern -- with five days off after graduating -- after he was recruited by Slivka.

Now Warren plans to be a visiting scholar at the school, teaching a computer science class and commuting from his Seattle home. He also plans to spend more time working with Ashesi University in Ghana, where he serves on the board.

Warren is leaving just before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona starting Feb. 16. Microsoft is expected to present new mobile services and perhaps launch Windows Mobile 6.5 at the show.